Bengal’s Laxmi Ratan Shukla donates salary and BCCI pension for COVID-19 affected

Laxmi Ratan Shukla, the former Indian cricketer, has donated his three months’ MLA’s salary and the pension he gets from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the ones affected in the coronavirus outbreak. Shukla, who’s also a former Bengal all-rounder and the current sports minister of West Bengal, donated the same to the Chief Minister Relief’s Fund.

The COVID-19 pandemic has accounted for the lives of over 24,000 globally, In India, 735 have been tested positive with 10 being the numbers in Bengal. The death tolls in the country has reached 17 with Bengal having one. Shukla understands that one should come forward in the critical times.

Laxmi Ratan Shukla contributes heavily

“It is the need of the hour that we all contribute to the best of our abilities. I have already donated three months of my MLA salary to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. Also, I get pension from BCCI. I have donated three months of my BCCI pension,” Shukla was quoted as saying in The Times of India (TOI).

Shukla was a part of the Men in Blue in three ODIs in 1999 before ankle injury turned detrimental to his career. Playing for Bengal and the East Zone, he has plied his trade in over 100 matches. He also had the privilege of playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL). He scored in excess of 9,300 runs and picked up as many as 362 wickets.

As far as the coronavirus pandemic is concerned, Sourav Ganguly, the BCCI president, lent his helping hand. The former Indian cricketer also offered to give away the Eden Gardens for quarantine activity. The Prince of Kolkata said that he would be ready to help the Indian government in whatever way possible in the adverse situation.

The retired left-armer also gave away rice worth 50 lakhs to the underprivileged families to make a contribution in the wake of the current scenario. India is currently going through a lockdown of 21 after Narendra Modi, the Honourable Prime Minister, announced the same on March 24. Countries like Spain and Italy have been suffering heavily due to the debacle.